EXHIBIT of USEFUL OBJECTS in WARTIME November 30, 1942
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UsHiSo MUSEUM OF MODERN ART 11 WEST 53RD STREET, NEW YORK TELEPHONE: CIRCLE 5-8900 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EXHIBITION OF USEFUL OBJECTS IN WARTIME OPENS AT MUSEUM OF MODERN ART Baking pans made of paper, a cornhusk doormat, an open-top hamper-cart for the free-wheeling of groceries, a plastic sink stopper, a felt eyeglass case and many other useful objects for the civilian, particularly in non-priority glass, comprise part of the exhibition of Useful Objects in Wartime which opens at the Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53 Street, Wednesday, December 2. The rest of the exhibition is devoted to needs of Army and Navy men, WAACS and WAVES. A few well- designed articles for civilian defense are also included. And, Just for fun even in wartime, sheets of gay-colored paperboard from which extremely modern domestic animals, dude cowboys, and other toys may be punched out and fitted ingeniously together, are shown. Everything in the exhibition sells for $10 and under. In planning this fifth annual exhibition at the Mueeum of useful objects under $10, vital war needs were taken into considera tion, and the exhibition was divided into the following three sections: 1# Household objects made of non-priority materials. 2. Articles asked for by men and women in the Army and Navy. 3. Supplies necessary for adequate civilian defense. Alice M. Carson, Acting Director of the Museum's Department of Indus trial Design, arranged the exhibition and designed its installation. It will remain on view through January 3. The standards used in selecting articles for the Museum's previous exhibitions of useful objects were applied this year: 1. FUNCTION - "how it works" or "what it does." 2. MATERIALS - their appropriate use. 3. TECHNIQUE or process of manufacture (whether by hand or machine). 4. SYNTHESIS of the above in the expression of the designer. In addition to the objects solectod with emphasis for wartime use, the exhibition includes a few useful objects of especially good design shown in previous exhibitions at the Museum. Those objects are shown to discourage the wasteful American practice of abandoning a good dOBlgn simply to satisfy the craving to present something now (even if inferior in design) each year to the public. Before assembling the objects for thia year18 exhibition the Museum consulted men end women in the services, various elepartmont3 -2- Ui of the Office of Civilian Defence, and the Conservation and Substitu tion Branch of tho War Production Board. All of these gave valuable suggestions and advice. Soldiers and sailors, WAACS and WAVES responded eagerly to the Museum1s queries about their needs. There wao complete uniformity of demand for useful articles that were compact, light in weight, unbreak able, waterproof, and identified with the owner's name. Some specific suggestions were: 11 The locker accommodations and "Extra hangers." regulations arc meager and strict." WAACS & WAVES Corp. Sig. Serv. Reg't. "Things small and unbreakable." "Officers' quarters are so ill sup plied that what they actually need "A small duffle-bag, or satchel are items of basic usefulness." (of canvas) for furloughs!" Copt. Signal Corps Sergt. Camp Upton "Everything waterproof, if possible, "Simple luggage, i.e., the idea and marked." is to boil living and travell Lieut. Field Artillery ing space down so that if alone you went to an airplane you "Clothespins - because we do most could carry your own and it of our own laundry unless wo are wouldn't weigh too much." Lieut. J.g. WAVES rich." WAAC "What we all have to have and "No big things to haul around...When can't get along without are you arc transferred quickly and accessories like money belts often they are a big bother. that are waterproof (and there Enough of these were offered for fore very practical), small sale yesterday to stock a depart leather travelling kits, sewing ment store." kits, etc. You see it's all WAAC very prosaic." Ensign U.S.N.R. "We all try to carry as little as possible with us—and end up by storing aboard great quantities of junk", mostly things that make us think of friends and home....A Navy man keeps a few mystery novels and every letter he ever got. Not that we got much chance to read. What we think about is the ship and when we get close to land, girls. But I don't suppose you could include them, could you?" Ensign U.S.N.R. The Office of Civilian Defense supplied information regarding the requirements for fire-fighting and protection. In accordance with these requirements the Museum selected several well-designed objects for the exhibition, such as a stirrup pump and a first-aid kit. The most vigorous advice and comment, however, came from Harvey A. Anderson, Chief of the Conservation and Substitution Branch, Conservation Division, War Production Board, who wrote the Museum, in part, as follows: "The Conservation and Substitution Branch is in favor of any measure which will aid the war effort. This includes tho policy of recommending transition to war ucage of parus and materials stocks, fabricating capacity, and labor wherever foasible. "Our conviction is that the men in America's Armed Forces would prefer to BOO usod in their armaments many of the metals ordinarily used in gifts.... Nor do we believe that an aluminum or stainless steel alloy cocktail shaker is nccessrry to maintain the morale of the worker on the hono front.... These are the convictions you gain when you examine the casuality lists. "Every ounce of chromium, copper, nickel, tin, aluminum, lucite, etc., used in such items as program flashlights, chrome-plated jiggers, small lucite bowls, lucite salts and poppers, means in altogether too many casos another American casualty.... "It is our understanding that the Japanese night clubs have been closed for five years. That dancing is forbidden even in Japanese private homes. That one brand of shaving soap is sufficient for this need in Germany. That the German women do not wear cosmetics. That large- scale spectator sports have been abandoned in Germany. If the Axis civilians can part with many peacetime luxur ies, for the sake of their soldiers, wo think American civilians can do that Job better too. "Thus the manufacturing of non-essentials, the wholesaling and retailing of them, the consumer's purchase of them, and the tacit recommendation (through exhibition of them) that they be purchased as a demonstration of 'doing your bit,' 'boosting morale,' etc. often come to be regarded as merely a convenient excuse for 'business as usual*' "Further, the availability of such items deludes the purchaser with a falso sense of security, encourages further purchases along the same line, encourages further demand for such articles and materials by consumer, retailor, wholesaler and manufacturer, and results in un fortunate pressure on the war agencies for diversion of materials vital to the armaments of ou2- Armed Force. We believe, finally, that the informed consumer, retailer, wholesaler, and manufacturer will patriotically Insist that every available ounce of these critical materials be used whore they will serve America's fighting men best." Simultaneously with the exhibition the Museum will publish an illustrated Bulletin on Useful Objects in Wartime which will list many of the items. In addition everything shown in the exhibition will bo labelled with price, name of manufacturer and retailer, and the name of the designer, when obtainable. December 2, I9U2 - January 3, I9U3 USEFUL OBJECTS IN WARTIME FIFTH ANNUAL EXHIBITION OF USEFUL OBJECTS UNDER $10.00 THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, 11 WEST 53 STREET, NEW YORK This exhibition does not represent a complete coverage of all stores, but it is a representative sampling of objects from a wide variety of sources. In the listing of retail outlets, we have named the store at which the item is known to be avail able. This* however, is not necessarily the only source from which the object may be obtained. ABBREVIATIONS: des., DESIGNER; mfg., MANUFACTURER; dist., DISTRIBUTOR; ret,, RETAILER HOUSEHOLD ARTICLES OF 10. Vase. $7,00 NON-PRIORITY MATERIALS des. - Pitt Petri dist, - Mary Ryan GLASS ret, - Carole Stupell Ltd, 1. Tumbler, light green, $9.60 doz. 11. Salt holder. $1.50 des. •* William H. Blenko mfg, - Libbey Glas3 Co, mfg, 1 Blenko Glass Co, ret, - Georg Jensen Inc, ret, - department stores 12. Sherry glass. $1,75 2. Plate, green, 8*, $,90 des. - Edwin W» Fuerst des, - William H. Blenko mfg. « Libbey Glass Co. mfg. - Blenko Glass Co. ret. - Georg Jensen Inc. ret. - department stores 13. Champagne glass. $1,75 3. Plate, green, 9i», $1,10 des, - Edwin W. Fuerst des. - William H. Blenko mfg. - Libbey Glass Co, mfg, - Blenko Glass Co, ret, - Georg Jensen Inc. ret. - department stores 1^. Goblet, $1,75 k9 Vase, amber, $1,00 des, - Edwin W. Fuerst des. - William H, Blenko mfg, - Libbey Glass Co. mfg. - Blenko Glass Co. ret, -» Georg Jensen Inc, ret. - department stores 15* Old-fashioned glass. $1,^5 5. Pitcher, green. $U,00 des, - Edwin W, Fuerst des. •* William H, Blenko mfg, - Libbey Glass Co. mfg. - Blenko Glass Co, ret. - B, Altman & Co, ret, - department stores 16. Tumbler. $1,10 6. Bookends, light green, $^.00 pr, des, - Edwin W, Fuerst des, - William H, Blenko mfg, - Libbey Glass Co. mfg. - Blenko Glass Co, ret. - B. Altman & Co. ret, - department stores 17. Cocktail shaker. $U.79 7» Paperweight, $2.5° mfg. * Heisey's des. - William H. Blenko ret. - Bloomingdale!s mfg. - Blenko Glass Co, ret, - department stores 18. Pitcher. $1.25 mfg. - Cambridge Glass Co, 8, Paperweight, $2,50 ret, m B, Altman & Co,,Bloomingdale's dist. - Mary Ryan ret, m Chelton, Inc.